Bowling hall of fame enshrinees have illustrious histories

The addition of seven new inductees into the Hall of Fame and the announcement of the Bowlers of the Year took center stage at the Virginia Peninsula USBC awards banquet Saturday in Newport News.

The Hall of Fame honorees included Brandon Smith, John Confalone and Chris Bolosan for their outstanding bowling accomplishments and Mary Pancoast, Laura Favata, Wayne Ripley and Betty Watlett for their meritorious service.

Among Smith's many achievements are having bowled more than 40 perfect games, 20 series of 800 or more, winning the Bowler of the Year award in 2008, and making the all-star team nine times.

Confalone, a past state tournament champion, has struck for more than thirty 300 games, twenty 800 series, and once held the state record for highest average (242.2).

Pancoast has served youth bowling on the Peninsula for more than 27 years, was instrumental in beginning the State High School Bowling League, and is a past Volunteer of the Year award winner.

For the past 20-plus years, Favata has served in many roles, including PAYABA director, HWBA director, and as a member of the VPUSBC Board of Directors. She won the Coach of the Year award in 2011 and has been a past Director of the Year.

Ripley, currently a director, has served on many committees and was instrumental in the merger of the men's and women's associations. He is also known for his work with youth bowlers.

Watlett has played a key role in the VPUSBC for more than 25 years, serving as a member of the board of directors, helping the Peninsula's youth bowlers, and volunteering at local and state tournament functions. She was the 2012-13 Director of the Year.

Heading the Bowlers of the Year were Ricky Boyters (adult male) and Dawn Campbell (adult female). During the 2012-13 season, Boyters bowled five 300 games, two 800 series (820, 817) and carried the highest average (234) at York Lanes. He also is a youth coach at York.

Campbell led the women's all-star team with a composite average of 205, highlighted by a high game of 279 and a 727 series. She also is well known for her sportsmanship, leadership, and volunteer work in the association.

Stearn, a bowler for 45 years, still maintains a 200-plus average at Village Lanes and rolled back-to-back 300s at age 69 on April 11. He is believed to be the oldest bowler on the Peninsula to achieve that feat.

Blunt has led the senior women's all-star team for the past three years. She bowled a perfect game on Jan. 10.

Maier, 15, posted a 211 average at Sparetimes, had four 700 series, two 300 games, nine 250-plus games, and led the youth boys all-star team. Blackmore headed the youth girls all-star team with a 161 average.

Also honored were Samuel Eure as the Coach of the Year and Sam Smith, winner of the Meritorious Service Award. For the last nine years, Eure has been the volunteer coach for the York High bowling club, while Smith served on the VPUSBC board of directors from 2010-12 and currently chairs the historian/publicity committee.

Shooting

Sarah Osborn, who set several national records earlier this year, began a new shooting season with a gold-medal winning performance.

The latest achievement for the Hampton teenager came Oct. 18-19 in Nashville (Tenn.) at the Montgomery Bell Classic, the largest high school rifle match in the country.

Osborn, 14, took the gold in the three-position precision air rifle event with a total score of 688.9. Second place went to Reagan Abernathy of Tennessee (687.3).

The win showcased Osborn's amazing improvement over the last two years. As a 12-year-old, she placed 16th in the Bell Classic and last year she was ninth.

This year's competition also included a separate International match (60 shots standing). Osborn won that, too, with a personal-best score of 593 out of a possible 600. Abernathy (577) again finished second. Osborn's previous-best score in the International had been a 577 last year at The Citadel.

Semi-pro football

The Virginia Crusaders will have a score to settle when they square off against the Arbutus Big Red of Maryland for the Mason-Dixon Football League championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cooley Field in Williamsburg.

The last time the two teams met — in the second round of the 2011 playoffs — it turned out to be a bad night for the Crusaders. They were 11-0 at the time, had beaten the Big Red 14-0 a month earlier, and had the home-field advantage for the playoffs. But that all went down the drain as the Big Red pulled off a shocking 14-0 upset.

Crusaders coach Larry Stith isn't about to let his players forget about that debacle.

"That left a foul taste is our mouths," he said. "We had six to eight turnovers in that game."

Stith is confident that won't happen again with his team 12-0 this season and riding a 25-game winning streak over the past two seasons.

"Playing for the championship is what our guys have worked for all year," he said. "We expect a physical game. Arbutus plays hard but we'll play harder."

In advancing to the title game, the Crusaders crushed the Camp Lejeune Bulldogs 56-6 for the South Conference title while the Big Red (10-2) edged the Northern Neck Rivermen, 21-20, for the North crown.

Game tickets are $10 for ages 13-and-over, $5 for those 7-12, and free for children 6-and-under. For information, call 713-7407.

Golf

Jeff Fleishman of Williamsburg is in the golf consulting business, but he's also been playing some pretty good golf lately.

On Friday and Saturday, he teamed with Tim Vigotsky to win the seniors' division in the Willow Oaks Invitational in Richmond with rounds of 67 and 73. Fleishman, 59, capped the team's win with a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff.

That was sweet but maybe not as sweet as winning the Kingsmill Men's Club Championship for the eighth time last month with rounds of 77 (Woods Course) and 75 on the River Course. What made it extra special was winning the titles in five different decades that included victories in 1978, 1983, 1991, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2013.